[FFML] [Justice League X-Over][Draft 1] A long Strange Trip-Chapter 1

[StudioPC]

Disclaimer: No money is being made from this and no such intent  
should be inferred.

Author's note: This takes place just before the Justice League Season  
2 Finale.

"Same story, different versions, and all are true."
-- POTC: Dead Man's Chest

Nephlite was jerked awake as his fellow generals dragged him from his  
bed.

"Whuzzzah?" Nephlite mumbled. He was a sound sleeper to begin with  
and had been up all night celebrating their victory over Metallia and  
her Sailor Senshi.

"We didn't get Mercury after all," Jeddite told him, grabbing  
Nephlite's jacket from the bedpost before he, Malachite, and Zoisite  
hauled the brown-haired teenager down the hallway. "She snuck into  
the Citadel and shattered the silver crystal."

"That's nice," Nephlite mumbled. "But my bed is that way." He pointed  
in the wrong direction. "Nice soft bed." He fell asleep again.

Malachite rolled his eyes. "Zoi, if you would?"

Zoisite waved her hand, and a bucket's worth of cold water splashed  
onto Nephlite's head as they dropped him onto the floor.

"The feral strawberry of Appomattox did not kill J.F.K.!" Nephlite  
shouted as he came fully awake and then realized where he was.  
"Uh . . .?" Paitently, Jeddite repeated his explanation.

Nephlite groaned and took off for his observatory at a run. "I'll use  
the stars to find her and meet you in the portal room!" he shouted  
over his shoulder. His voice was different, harsher, more bitter.

Jeddite shook his head. "I got this one." A lasso appeared in his  
hand and like a cowboy, he swung it around his head before casting it  
down the hallway and catching Nephlite like a fisherman. Malachite  
and Zoisite grabbed the rope and the three of them gave a mighty heave.

"GWAK!" Nephlite exclaimed as he was jerked back down the hallway to  
land at their feet.

"You didn't let me finish," Jeddite continued ("As usual," Zoisite  
said snidely) as Zoisite and Malachite picked Nephlite up and dragged  
him towards the portal room. "Shattering the crystal has torn a hole  
in the fabric of space time. The universe is collapsing in on itself.  
Beryl is trying to hold it off, but it only gives us ten minutes at  
most, since it's draining her life force. Mercury has already escaped  
to another universe and she's taken a piece of Mettalia with her. If  
she finds a way to repower that thing, she can raise a new crop of  
Senshi and start this all over again, or worse, remake an entire  
universe as she chooses. All because we failed our duty."

"Not if we go after her," Nephlite said, his voice normal again. "We  
even have time to go get Beryl. Just reset the portal to oh one zero  
three point two."

"We tried that," Zoisite told him. "The portal is only stable enough  
for one person." They entered the portal room and Jeddite shoved his  
jacket and a satchel into Nephlite's arms, who automatically put them  
on.

"We've got everything in there you might need," Jeddite said.

"You're sending me?" Nephlite asked, "but I'm not even the most  
powerful of us. I'm not even capable of protecting one person!"

"Because," Jeddite told him, "despite repeatedly coming up with some  
invention that's as likely to get us all killed as doing its job . . ."

"Or running off half-cocked before we finish speaking . . ." Zoisite  
continued.

"Or defying orders to go after someone you love," Malachite added.  
"Naru knew the risks, Max," he whispered, "you know that."

"Despite all of that," Zoisite finished, tears in her eyes, "you're  
still the smartest of us." She kissed him on the forehead. "Goodbye,  
little brother. Be good."

She turned away as Jeddite and Malachite threw Nephlite through the  
portal, unwilling to watch. She did not turn back until the  
distinctive sound of the portal collapsing echoed throughout the room.

"I'm going to the throne room," Jeddite said,  "Beryl shouldn't be  
alone . . ." He pulled them both into an embrace. "I'd say it's been  
fun, but the good guys aren't supposed to lie." He turned away and  
left quickly.

Zoisite crossed her arms, her tears flowing freely now. Her clothes  
shimmered, becoming her street clothes. "I want to end as I started,"  
she said to Malachite, "as Lily."

Malachite's clothes also shimmered as he too changed. "As Lily and  
James," he corrected, stepping behind her and sliding his arms around  
her waist. "We're in this together." She leaned back against him with  
a contented sigh.

"Hell of a last date," she murmured and James laughed.

"Well I did promise I'd be with you until the end of time." He  
nuzzled her neck. "And I keep my promises."

"How did we get to this, James?" Lily asked. "We shouldn't be here.  
And Max, he especially shouldn't be here." She wiped fresh tears. "I  
promised Mom and Dad I'd keep Max safe. Some big sister I turned out  
to be."

"Lily, listen to me," James commanded. "Lily, you gave him a fighting  
chance and Max can take care of himself, even if he does go about it  
sideways. His fate is out of our hands now." He looked up. "Beryl's  
gone." He spun her around. "I love you."

"I love you too," Lily replied as their lips came together and the  
world dissolved in a flare of white light.

-------------------
Chapter 1

Nephlite grunted as he tumbled backwards out of the portal and the  
satchel smacked him in the face.

"Never want to do that again." He pulled the satchel away and found  
himself looking up at a man clad in blue spandex and a red S on his  
chest. "Um . . . I don't suppose you've seen a girl carrying an evil  
crystal, have you?"

The man grasped the front of Nephlite's jacket and lifted him into  
the air as though he weighed absolutely nothing. "Who are you?"

"General Nephlite of the Moon Kingdom Alpha Elite," Nephlite replied,  
looking around. They stood on a pitcher's mound in the middle of a  
stadium. "Oh hey, baseball!"

"General?" The man repeated. "Moon Kingdom?"

"Yeah. Look, have you seen some girl carrying an evil crystal? A  
little shorter than me, blue hair, wearing a sailor fuku. I really  
need to find her before she ends the world."

"You're coming with me," the man told him and pressed a finger to his  
ear. "J'onn. Send down a Javelin."

"You do know you're wearing your underwear on the wrong side of your  
pants, right?" Nephlite asked.

-----------------------

"So how exactly did you find this guy, Superman?" Flash asked as he  
sat at the meeting table. "He's just a few screws short of a tool  
kit, isn't he?"

"You're generalizing, Flash," J'onn J'onzz replied as he entered with  
Hawkgirl. "He's asleep," J'onn told Superman. "He was .  . . frazzled."

"So who is he?" Green Lantern asked, crossing his arms.

"A better question would be 'what is he?'," J'onn said as a full body  
hologram appeared over the table. "Nanites. Unfamiliar technology,  
made of some sort of bio-metal. Each one is inscribed with one of six  
different chinese symbols and the symbol of protection. They coat his  
bones. They also exist in his bloodstream, flowing in a mixture of  
toxic chemicals, heavy metals, and plant matter, which has completely  
replaced almost all fluids in his body. Even the nanites on his bones  
are fed this mixture."

"And they're efficient little bugs," Hawkgirl told them. "He ate a  
sandwich while the monitors were hooked up. They immeditly broke down  
the food down and what they left behind wouldn't fill a thimble."

"Transparent secondary eyelids, some sort of bracing in his muscles,  
and what looks like a short ranged teleporter circuit," J'onn  
continued. "Though it appears to be offline. There's also evidence of  
what appears to be some of kind of energy weapons array in his hands  
and eyes. I cannot even read his mind. Something is protecting it."

"But that's not the weirdest part," Hawkgirl said and set their  
guest's satchel on the table. "This thing is bigger on the inside  
than out. Look." She reached in and began removing items, naming them  
as she did. "A leather overcoat, a sword, a couple of electronic  
gizmos, a pocket watch that has to be at least forty years old, a  
survival kit, and weirdly enough, a towel and this little teddy bear.  
The watch is engraved with the name Nathan Stanton and the year  
nineteen forty-seven."

"Isn't this an invasion of his privacy?" Wonder Woman asked. "I mean,  
we don't know he's hostile."

"We'll apologize later if he isn't," Superman told her and looked at  
at J'onn and Hawkgirl. "But nothing about this Moon Kingdom of his?"

"Nope," Hawkgirl held up a plastic bag, "After he fell asleep, I went  
through his pockets. I found a Swiss-Army knife, some string, a ring,  
a key, a couple of pencils, a pen with no writing tip, a casino  
token, a bent paperclip and hair thingie, a cell phone, and a wallet.  
Inside, seven dollars in cash, two credit cards, one without a  
magnetic strip and the name and numbers worn off, and a school ID. It  
says his name is Maxsfield Stanton and he's soft more at Crossworlds  
High School ten."

Green Lantern peered over her shoulder. "Sophmore," he corrected.  
"And that ten means he's in the tenth grade. Sophmore and grade ten  
mean the same thing, basically."

Huh."

"He's a kid and he's walking around with that stuff in his body?"  
Flash asked and sighed. "Man, must be one rough high school."

"Maybe." Green Lantern held up the paper clip, the pen, the hair  
bobbin and the worn out credit card. "You can get through almost any  
lock with these and enough time. He may not be hostile, but he's no  
angel either."

"Put everything back in the satchel." Batman told them, entering the  
room with a woman wearing an outfit that wouldn't have looked out of  
place in Vegas. "This is Zantanna," Batman continued, "she might be  
able to offer some insight."

"Hi, I'm The Flash," Flash said, throwing an arm around Zantanna's  
shoulders. "What do you say we go dancing?"

She gave him a speculative look. "Are you familiar with the works of  
the mad artificer Liu-Sen? Can you discuss the twelve uses of  
Dragon's Blood laid out in the Sumuier Grimmore?"

Who? Dragons? What?"

"Girl's gotta have her standards," Zantanna smirked at him and then  
approached the table.

"When J'onn mentioned symbols on the nanites," Batman explained, "I  
realized we might be dealing with magic, so I decided to contact  
Zantanna and bring her up here."

"Can you show me the symbols?" Zantanna asked. J'onn nodded and the  
symbols appeared over the table, along with the scan they'd made of  
his body as he repeated his summary. She contemplated the images for  
a moment and then shook her head. "Those runes look like the unholy  
marriage of Old High Atlantean and a few other dead languages. She  
tapped her chin. "I recognize what might be Atlantean for protection  
and a couple of others look like they're for quick healing, but  
that's about it."

"He mentioned a Moon Kingdom and an Alpha Elite," Superman said,  
"Ever hear of those?"

Zantanna thought for a moment and then shook her head. "Nope. Where  
did he come from?"

"I was supposed to throw out the first pitch at the Metropolis vs  
Star City game," Superman told her. "He tumbled out of a portal and  
landed on the pitcher's mound."

"Could be a pan-dimensional intrusion," she mused. "Rare, but it  
happens."

"Pan what?" Flash asked, "Lady, my major was chemistry."

"He's from another universe," she said simply.

"Oh."

"It explains a lot," Hawkgirl mused, "Superman, did he say anything  
else?"

"He did ask if I'd seen a girl carrying an evil crystal," Superman  
mentioned, "but I thought he was a little . . . off."

"You'd be too if you had that in you," Flash said.

"I think we need to ask him some questions," Batman decided.

--------------

In the med bay, J'onn shook Nephlite.

"Go away, Lily," Nephlite mumbled. "We can paint kittens some other  
time." Then he fell asleep again.

"Just like my little brother," Zantanna said and produced a glass of  
ice water, which she poured onto Nephlite's head.

"I beg to differ, your highness," he shouted, sitting up, "you can  
indeed chrome a potato, and I will prove it!" He blinked at them, his  
face taking on a slightly vacant expression. "You're not my sister."

"Who are you?" Batman demanded.

Nephlite tilted his head. "A rabbit?"

"No, your name!"

"Yeah, but I was wondering if you're supposed to be a rabbit. 'Cause  
those ears? Way to thin. Now if you're a tick on the other hand . . .  
the costume should be a light blue and lose the cape."

"Easy, Batman," Wonder Woman said, laying a hand on his shoulder.  
"He's a bat," she said to Nephlite. "My name is Diana, what's yours?"

"Nephlite."

"Your wallet says your name is Maxsfield Stanton." A trace of  
wariness flickered in his eyes, but otherwise, there was no change of  
expression.

"Did you want to talk to him?" Nephlite asked, "because he's a bit of  
an idiot. But don't tell him I said that."

"I won't," Wonder Woman promised. "But could you answer some questions?"

"Sure!" He crossed his legs and folded his hands in his lap, looking  
for all the world like a child eager to please his teacher or parent.  
But she saw the wariness in his eyes again.

'How much of this is an act?' she wondered. 'He's clearly more  
together than he's pretending to be, but that comment about Maxsfield  
could be a bad sign.' She flicked a glance at Superman, who indicated  
she should keep going and Batman nodded agreement. Good enough.  
"You're a general?"

"Yup!"

"You seem so young."

"I haven't been doing it for very long . . . in this life,  
anyway . . . I think."

"All . . . right . . . where's the Moon Kingdom?"

"Another dimension."

"And it's your home?"

"No, I'm from Earth. The Moon Kingdom is sort of a sub- 
dimension . . . except that it isn't. . . . but that's only on  
Fridays because then it's an amusment park!"

Wonder Woman nodded slowly to give herself time to think. "Why are  
you here?"

The wariness was replaced by a moment of guilt and loss, then it  
vanished and the wariness returned, this time with slightly narrowed  
eyes and no response. Wonder Woman suspected he was doing some very  
fast thinking. Then suddenly, his eyes widened. "Los Angeles!"

"What?"

"She's in Los Angeles. Where's my satchel?"

"In there," Flash said automatically and jerked his thumb towards the  
meeting room.

"Thanks," Nephlite said, and hopped off the table.

"Hold it," Superman gripped Nephlite's arm. "Who's in Los Angeles?  
How do you know this?"

"Everything is ruled by the stars," Nephlite's voice was harsh and  
bitter. "They see everything." His eyes glowed with a white light and  
for a moment, he seemed older than he was. "Everything."

A siren wailed. "The emergency alarm!" J'onn took off, fading through  
the wall and the others followed, Nephlite being dragged along.

----------------

In the command center, J'onn was already gathering information. "A  
glacier appeared in the ocean just off of Venice," he told them.  
"Upon making landfall, it immediately turned towards Los Angeles,  
crushing anything in its path."

Nephlite pulled his arm free of Superman's grip and pushed to J'onn's  
side. "Where's it headed?" Any trace of goofiness was gone as J'onn  
pulled up a map of Los Angeles and projected the glacier's path.  
Nephlite ran his finger along the path, muttering to himself.

"What is he doing?" Flash asked Green Lantern, who could only shrug.

"We're not waiting any longer," Superman said. "Flash. Secure  
Nephlite in the brig and then meet us in the Javelin bay."

"I'm coming too," Zantanna said. "If the glacier is magic, you'll  
need my help. And even if it isn't, I still have to get back to  
Earth." She shrugged. "It's not like I have anything else to do."

"It's her!" Nephlite shouted as Flash struggled with him. "You don't  
understand what she can do! You need me!"

"He might be right, Superman," Lantern offered.

"He could be--"

"We don't know that," Batman cut in. He moved closer to Superman and  
muttered something too soft for the others to hear, but Superman  
jerked as though he'd been slapped.

"Fine."

"I still need my satchel," Nephlite complained.

"Here," Flash said as a gust of wind blew through the room. He held  
out the satchel, which Nephlite took, eyes wide.

"Cool."

--------------

The Javelins were a fusion of cutting edge technology and two types  
of alien technology. Their sole purpose was to enable the Justice  
League to rapidly get to any emergency on earth . . . or off it.

One of the Javelins sat in the middle of the bay, the soft thrum of  
its engines vibrating in their bones as the umbilicals of the  
automated prep system withdrew and the turntable turned it towards  
the launch doors.

"Batman," Zantanna said at the base of the boarding ramp, grabbing  
his arm. "Nephlite," she said in a whisper. "He's got wards and  
spells in his clothes, skin and bones. J'onn's scans wouldn't have  
picked them up, but I can see them clear as day."

"Bad?"

"Maybe. I see white, black, shamanistic, and a kind I've never seen  
before. Offensive and defensive types, and a subspace pocket in each  
arm."

"I see," Batman replied.

"Shouldn't you tell the others?"

Batman smiled at her. "Already have."

------------------------

"Los Angeles in one minute," Hawkgirl said as the Javelin streaked  
down through the atmosphere. Next to her, Superman turned his head to  
look at Nephlite.

"I think we need to know more about this girl you're after," he said.

"Her capabilities and powers, if any," Batman added.

"And about this evil crystal she has," Flash finished.

"Don't do that anymore," Nephlite complained, "it's weird." He pulled  
out the sword from his satchel and planted the point on the floor.  
"The crystal is a piece of Metallia; The Vile One, also known as The  
Corruptor, who twists the minds and souls of her thralls and feeds on  
the pain and misery they cause." His voice had become harsh and  
bitter again, his eyes glowing faintly.

Batman frowned, then removed something from his belt and began  
fiddling with it.

"And the girl?"

"Metallia's last surviving thrall. She's got augmented physical  
abilities and power over water. She's also the smartest person alive."

Hawkgirl frowned, tapping her fingers on the console. "Does she have  
any military training?" Hawkgirl was a soldier from the planet  
Thanagar. She didn't talk about her time before joining the Justice  
League that much, but they'd gotten the impression that she'd had  
some rank before getting stranded by a navigation problem. Aside from  
Green Lantern, she was the only member of the Justice League who'd  
received formal tactical training and had military experience. She  
looked at Batman who just made a gesture that meant he was thinking  
about it and she shrugged. She'd learned early on in her time with  
the League that Batman was better at strategy and tactics than she  
was and a good soldier knew when to follow orders . . . she shook her  
head. Orders were orders, even if you didn't like them.

Nephlite shook his head, toying with the pommel of his sword. "No.  
But she learns fast and adapts faster."

"The crystal is the key," Batman said, "she draws her power from it. "

Nephlite shook his head. "Planetary binding fuels her power over  
water and the physical abilities come from layered wards and spells  
built into her costume." He looked up, the glow vanishing from his  
eyes. "Ooh. Ley line." Vertical lines of light covered his body,  
rushed upwards, and then he was gone.

"Where did he go?" Lantern demanded.

"One guess," Zantanna said, undoing her restraints. "I'll go after  
him. See you in L.A. Etilhpen wollof." She vanished with a sharp CRACK!

------------------

Zantanna materialized in a corridor of ice, her wand already in her  
hand. Not that she needed one, but a wand helped channel and control  
power flow for higher level spells and she was sure she was going to  
need them.

Now where was he?

She heard the sounds of metal ringing from behind her and she  
followed them down to a large open chamber. In the middle, sword in  
hand, Nephlite dueled with a girl about his age. She was clad in a  
white bodysuit with no sleeves or legs and a blue sailor collar. A  
blue miniskirt was about her hips and she wore blue boots and white  
gloves trimmed in blue. Black markings covered her boots, her tiara  
was made of a twisted black metal, and there was a black ribbon on  
the back of her outfit, and another on her chest, this one with the  
most beautiful opal Zantanna had ever seen. It glinted in the light  
as the fighters whirled and danced in the manner of experts. But the  
opal held her attention.

It was so beautiful.

With utter regret that she aimed her wand. "Gnithgil!" she snapped  
and a bolt of nature's fury raced across the chamber, striking  
Nephlite in the chest, sending him flying, his sword falling from his  
hand.

Walking over to his prone form, she gazed down at him.

Such a shame. She really, really hated to do this . . . but he  
deserved it. They all did.

"Gnithgil!"